Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-26
POIITI,S ND pRIHyIETES.


Just at this time Il is exceedingly import
ant that the highly respectable and truly
good citizen should understand that he
owes to himself and community tine dis
simply and solely a, the polls in the spring
elections, but at the primaries or ward eau
cuses and city conventions which are 10 be
held for the selection of candidates Every
man ought To- vote and to vote right. but
every man has also duty to perform before
election day, and one that is more import
ant, because it has more influential bear
ing upon the character and results of the
canvass. There are in all parties a better and
worse element; clean, orderly and we'll
disposed element and a selfish, SCheming
and interested eement-and il is { :, public
interest that the best and wiseSt men in all
the several parties should attend the
primary meetings and conventions and
control their action and results. But. uSl-
ally, these best and wi>est men show their
practical fOOliShneSS. and therefore do
themselves great injustice. by putting on an
air of superiority and practically saying
that they are too wise and good to appear
among the boys" at the ward meetings
when in fact they are really not wise and
good enough, and not nearly as wise and
good As many men who accept their respov
sibilities and duties as citizens. attend
these meetings, and do the very best they
cap.
As matter of fact il is very often the
case that the ward meetings of the repub-
lican party-by way of illuStratiOn-are a.
orderly and dignitied as anv city and
county conventions. But as matter Of
course if few nf the interested workers
can get nti their personal friends and nom
mate a cut-and-dried set of delegates or
candidates, it il their privilege to do So
and if these extra-good citizens stay away
from the caucuses they will do it, But no
citizen of any class has a right to remain
away, for We can only have the very best
results when all citizens discharge all
their public duties. and these begin with
the choosing of delegates to conventions.
are continued In the selection of candidates,
and culminate at the polls in electhg those
who oush to be elected.
A bright. strong. sensible clergyman. from
another city, said to the writer OF this arti-
Gle. few days since: Il always attend
the primaries of my party and use my in
fuence to secure the election of the best
men as delegates. But. previously. | give
notice of the holding of the primaries at nv
weekly prayer-meeting and urge all nv
members 10 attend and do their duty. BY
doing this, in our ward. we have beaten the
bummers and sent clean and strong delega-
tions. properly instructed. 10 the conven-
tions." This gentleman said much trouble
resulted from the fact that other clergymen
and good men remained away from the eau
cusses and held themselves aloof from anv
associations with politicians. This is nm
wise and impractical. 4 man who wishes to
accomplish anything In politics must begin
at the beginning OF things and stay with
the operations of the party all through. for
il is a matter of fact that man can exert
no appreciable influence in public affairs un-
less he connects himself with either one or
the other of the two great political parties:
for il is quite true that persons who ally
themselves with third. or fourth. OF fifth
parties. practically waste their strength and
materialize their weakness and mefliciency.
The great interests of the cOuntry-com-
mercial. moral and educational-can only
De effectively promoted through the
parties which can put men into
places OF influence and power, in which
they can shape the legislation and the ad-
of public affairs. Men who
put themselves outside of these great par
ties can make a good deal of noise and they
can. occasionally. mar the good work other
men in the republican party may try to do.
but aside from these achievements. they |
are of little account, for either good ar evil |